If You Struggle with Greed 

A Catholic Path to Trust, Generosity, and Interior Freedom 

Why This Matters 

Greed is not simply about money. It is about clinging. 

Greed reveals itself whenever we: 

• Place security in possessions rather than God 
• Measure our worth by what we own 
• Hoard rather than share 
• Fear loss more than we love generosity 

Because greed often looks like “prudence” or “planning,” it can quietly shape the heart without being questioned. 

What the Church Means by Greed 

Greed (also called avarice) is a disordered attachment to wealth or possessions. 

It does not require great riches. 

Greed can exist: 

• In the wealthy and the poor 
• In abundance or scarcity 
• In saving or spending 

The issue is not possession itself, but possession of the heart. 

What Greed Is — and Is Not 

Greed Is Not 

• Working hard 
• Providing for one’s family 
• Saving responsibly 
• Enjoying lawful goods 

The Church does not condemn prudence, planning, or material well-being. 

Greed Is 

• Hoarding out of fear 
• Refusing generosity when one can give 
• Obsessing over money or possessions 
• Measuring success by accumulation 
• Treating wealth as ultimate security 

Greed turns good things into false gods. 

Why Greed Is Spiritually Dangerous 

Greed narrows the heart. 

Over time it can: 

• Weaken trust in God 
• Reduce compassion for others 
• Foster anxiety and fear 
• Crowd out generosity 
• Make prayer transactional 

What we cling to controls us. 

Greed promises security but delivers restlessness. 

Greed Is Not the Same as Responsibility 

This distinction is essential. 

Responsible Stewardship 

• Plans wisely 
• Provides for legitimate needs 
• Remains open-handed 
• Trusts God beyond calculation 

Greed 

• Accumulates out of fear 
• Closes the hand 
• Hoards beyond need 
• Trusts wealth instead of God 

Stewardship serves love. Greed serves anxiety. 

The Virtue That Heals Greed: Generosity (Rooted in Trust) 

Generosity is not recklessness. 

Generosity is: 

• The habit of giving freely 
• Trusting that God provides 
• Sharing without fear 
• Loosening the grip of possessions 

Generosity restores freedom by reminding us that we are not self-sufficient. 

Practical Steps to Loosen the Grip of Greed 

Freedom grows through concrete practices, not vague intentions. 

1. Examine What You Fear Losing 

Greed often masks fear. 

Ask honestly: 

• What am I afraid to lose? 
• What makes me anxious about money or security? 
• What would I struggle to give up? 

Naming fear weakens its power. 

2. Practice Regular, Intentional Giving 

Generosity must be practiced to become habitual. 

This may include: 

• Tithing 
• Supporting charitable works 
• Helping someone in need 
• Giving quietly and consistently 

Giving regularly trains trust. 

3. Avoid Lifestyle Inflation 

As income increases, so do expectations. 

Resist the pressure to: 

• Always upgrade 
• Always have more 
• Measure success by consumption 

Simplicity preserves freedom. 

4. Hold Possessions Lightly 

Ask periodically: 

• Do I own this — or does it own me? 
• Would I be willing to let it go? 

Detachment does not mean disdain. It means availability. 

5. Practice Gratitude Daily 

Greed thrives on comparison. Gratitude interrupts it. 

Daily gratitude: 

• Shifts focus from lack to abundance 
• Softens envy 
• Restores peace 

A grateful heart is less anxious. 

6. Remember the Purpose of Wealth 

Wealth is meant to: 

• Serve life 
• Support family 
• Enable generosity 
• Build up the common good 

It is not meant to replace God as the source of security. 

7. Return Often to Prayer 

Prayer reorders trust. 

In prayer, we learn again: 

• That God provides 
• That our lives are held 
• That tomorrow does not belong to us 

Trust grows where prayer is practiced. 

Greed and the Christian Vision of Life 

The Christian life is not about accumulation, but gift. 

Christ Himself lived with radical freedom: 

• Owning little 
• Giving everything 
• Trusting the Father completely 

He shows us that true wealth is not stored, but shared. 

A Line Worth Remembering 

What we trust for security will eventually demand our loyalty. 

A Prayer for Freedom from Greed 

Lord God, Free my heart from fear and false security. Teach me to trust You more than possessions, to give generously without anxiety, and to hold all things lightly. Make me a good steward of what I receive and a joyful giver of what I can share. Amen.